Cassie: I'm going to stream your competition online.
Charlotte: Oh good! You'll get to see me fall on my face.
Cassie: From what my brother says, you're like a goddess out there.
A goddess?
Charlotte: He did not say that.
Cassie: Well, no. But he won't shut up about you.
She smiled as she set her phone back on the table. Jesse just wanted her on his team. She turned over, trying to push thoughts of him from her mind.
Thinking of Jesse brought inevitable thoughts about tomorrow’s game.
Even if she didn't have the competition, there was no way her dad would let her join the hockey team. Her heart stuttered at the thought.
She stared at the ceiling, picturing her mom's face when she told her she wasn't going to the competition.
But she'd never see it, because she was Charlotte Morrison. Of course, she'd go to Tampa. She'd lace up her skates and don her frilly costume that was too thin for an ice rink.
And she'd give it everything she had, just like always.
The morning of the competition dawned too bright and cheery for Charlotte's foul mood. She rolled out of bed and stretched, loosening her limbs before running downstairs.
To her surprise, both her parents waited in the kitchen. She hadn't thought she'd see her dad before the competition.
Her mom handed her a smoothie, no doubt loaded with chalky protein powder. Gulping it down without tasting it, Charlotte pulled herself onto a stool at the counter.
"You ready for today, Charlie?" Her dad dropped a kiss on top of her head.
Charlotte shrugged. "Sure."
"Well, good luck. I have to get to the rink. You'll do great, honey." He gave her a final smile before leaving.
She tapped her fingers on the counter, trying to get ahold of the dark feelings swirling inside her. "Mom?"
"Yes?" She glanced up from where she'd been looking at her phone.
"What if I don't win today?"
"What?"
Charlotte won most regional competitions she entered, but this was different, bigger. And some part of her that never felt good enough rose to the surface. "If I like... fall or something, will you still want to train me? Will you be disappointed?"
"Oh, sweetie. I don't train you because you're good—though you are." She fixed her eyes on her daughter. "Skating is how we communicate. You and I... we're a team."
"We are, aren't we?"
Her mom nodded. "I believe in you, Charlie, and I truly think you can do this." She rarely called her anything but Charlotte. "If you don't win, we can celebrate how far you've come. I could never be disappointed in you."
Charlotte wiped away a tear and slid from the stool. "I'm going to get ready."
The competition was early in the day, but she didn't know the order of the skaters yet. If she was last, she wouldn't skate until near dinner time. Part of her hoped for that. Focusing on nailing her long program would occupy her mind all day. But if she went early, she could make it home in time to stream the hockey game.
A game she couldn't play in.
Weeks ago, she'd never considered that an option. She was a figure skater, nothing more. Then Jesse happened, and she didn't know what she was anymore.
But today... well, today she could only be one thing.
She had to forget about the game. It was the only way to get through this day.
17
Jesse
On game mornings, tradition was important. Hockey players were superstitious by nature, so they tended to follow the same routine.
Not like it helped them win.
Jesse sat on the bench in his workout clothes with his skates digging into the spongy floor. Saturday game days were the only days the team had the ice in the morning, the only time Charlotte didn't fill the arena with her cloud of determination.
He lifted his eyes to the empty stands, imagining the noise that would roar through the room during the game. For some guys on his team, it distracted them. The cheers energized Jesse, made him want to do better, be better.
"Jess!" Will called from the mouth of the tunnel. Eli appeared at his side, ever the quieter twin. When their dad announced he'd be out of town for the weekend, Jesse should have felt something. Annoyance, maybe?
But he'd never really expected his dad to come to the game.
Giving Cassie and Mary a break, he brought the twins to the rink for his morning skate. His friends wouldn't mind. Most of the team was sleeping in, not bothering to prepare for a game they already assumed they'd lose.
Will and Eli skated across the ice, looking like the natural he'd always been. Maybe it ran in the family.
"You boys ready to put me through my paces?"
They nodded, their faces serious. "We'll get you ready for the game." Will crossed his arms. "Get on the ice, Carrigan."
With a laugh, Jesse stepped out from the bench, ruffling Will's hair as he passed him.
"Starting without us?" Roman's voice boomed as he skated out with Damien.
Jesse wanted to hate Damien, to hold his date with Charlotte against him, but the kid was okay. And besides, he was one of the few guys on the team who could play.
Roman clapped him on the shoulder. "Someone looks pensive today."
"That's a big word for you, Rome." Jesse laughed, trying to dislodge the tension in his gut.
"I'm serious. What's wrong?"
"I tried. I've been trying all week."
"To do what?"
"To find a way for her to play with us." He met his friend's eyes. "We need her, Rome."
"Ah." Roman shared a look with Damien. "This is about Charlotte."
"Of course, it is. Everything is about her. I just..." He sighed. "I spent the last few days trying to come up with a solution, but here it is, the day of the game, and she won't be with us."
"I'm sorry, man. I know how much you want to win this game. Maybe we still can."
"We might win without her, but..."
"But it's not only about the game."
Jesse shook his head.
"What if we can change the time of the game?" Damien's words were so quiet, Jesse thought he misheard him.
"That's not possible," Roman scoffed. "People have bought tickets. Venice would have to agree to it. We have eight hours until game time."
Jesse watched his little brothers play around on the ice, wishing he could be as excited for the day.
Damien shrugged. "Anything is possible if you try hard enough."
Jesse's eyes scanned the blinking scoreboard, taking note of the time. Charlotte's competition must be underway already. He'd meant to text her good luck, but part of him hoped she'd wake up and decide figure skating wasn't for her.
Finally, his eyes settled on Damien as he took in his words. "You have a plan, don't you?"
"Well... my dad and I work on cars together. I can disable one just as quickly as I can fix it."
"I don't understand." Roman glanced between them.
But Jesse understood. A smile slid across his face. "You can really do it?"
Damien shrugged. "Well... yeah."
"You do realize this means you'll have to play on the second line tonight—if we manage to convince Charlie to play."
"We're more likely to beat Venice with two capable lines, aren't we?"
Jesse gripped his shoulder. "Damien Lee, I take back all the awful things I've thought about you. And I am suddenly very glad you were able to come back from injury quickly."
"Wait... why have... you know what? Never mind."
"Good choice." Roman chuckled. "I still have no clue what's going on, but yay for teamwork." He waved his fists like pom poms.
Jesse shoved him back. "We have some time. Don't think you're getting out of your morning skate."
Roman saluted him. "Aye aye, Captain!"
"Jesse, look!" Will shouted down the ice. "I'm you!" He picked up speed, cutting across the ice, before flying backward and landing on his butt with a
giggle.
Jesse pumped his legs to catch him, but Will hopped up and skated away. "I'll show you a falling hockey player." He laughed as he caught up with his brother and hooked him around the waist, lifting him into the air.
Will cackled as Jesse carried him across the ice. "Carrigan comes in for the shot." He set his brother down. "He shoots! He scores!" He pushed his brother into the net, both of them laughing.
"Do you believe in miracles?" Will grinned.
Eli bent over in laughter, only stopped when Jesse started chasing him. Roman and Damien joined in the game.
It was much better than their normal skating drills. At least this way, they could enjoy the ice they loved so much.
The entire Gulf City High hockey team sat in the living room of the Morrison house, waiting for their coach to kick them out.
Jesse scanned the faces of his teammates, thankful each one answered his call. He looked back down at his phone, trying to keep track of the skating competition. Charlotte hadn't done her short program yet, but she was up soon.
Coach stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed his team. They'd ambushed him when he went home for lunch, refusing to leave.
"Would the team captain like to tell me what's going on?"
Jesse slid his phone into the pocket of his jeans and stood to face the man who could ruin their entire plan. If he said no, they'd have to listen to him. Not only was he their coach, but Charlotte was his daughter.
Jesse sucked in a long breath before releasing it. "It was Damien's fault."
"Hey!" Damien jumped from his seat on the floor.
Roman nodded. "It was. It really really was."
Jesse shared a grin with his friend.
"Coach, I was only trying to—"
Jesse cut Damien off. "Relax, Damo. I was kidding. Sit down." He turned back to the man they needed to convince. "Coach, we don't want to play this game without Charlotte." He gestured to the team. "Everyone is in agreement. She should be with us."
Coach sighed. "Boys, I know you think you can't win without her—"
"It's not that. She deserves to play. She's one of us."
"I'm sorry, Jesse. One of the lessons you'll learn as you get older is we don't always get what we want."
Jesse waited a beat before responding. "With all due respect, sir, that's a lesson I've been taught my entire life." His eyes found his brothers at the back of the room. He loved being there for them, but they all deserved better. Most people thought he'd had an easy life. They didn't speak of his dead mom or absent father. No one knew he’d basically spent the last couple of years raising two kids.
No, easy wasn't in his vocabulary. "Sir, this is not a time for that lesson. Do you want to know what I want to teach my brothers today? We stand up for the people we care about. We're willing to give up the most important game of the year so our should-be teammate can become a part of this."
"Jesse, I understand everything you're saying." Coach ran a hand through his hair. "But Charlotte is in Tampa. There is just no way she'd be here in time for the game."
"Then it's a good thing the game will wait for her."
"What?" He looked to his team. "What did you do?"
"When you go back to the rink, I think you'll find your Zamboni in need of repairs."
"You broke the Zamboni." His eyes widened. "Jesse, that's not okay. Do you have any idea the harm that could cause to the rink?"
"Relax, it's not really broken, only disabled. You could try to get a repairman out in time for the game... or Damien could reverse whatever it was he did." He snapped his fingers. "Oh, darn. Damien, aren't you busy until about seven tonight?"
"Yep." Damien nodded. "Totally booked."
Jesse couldn't tell if Coach looked annoyed or impressed. He flattened his lips. "You're holding my Zamboni hostage?"
Jesse grinned. "Just call it a negotiation tactic."
Coach stared at him for a long moment before shaking his head and pulling out his phone. He dialed and held it to his ear. "Coach Harrison, this is Kevin Morrison. Yes, yes, we're looking forward to the game tonight as well. I do have a slight problem. My Zamboni is acting up and the technician can't get to the rink until about six. Now, I know your rink down there in Venice is booked, and I hate to cancel the game." He paused listening to the other man. "Seven? Yes, that will work. We will see your boys then." He hung up.
His voice was low when he addressed the team. "Now that you have forced the issue, you better be ready for tonight. I have a lot of work to do thanks to moving this game. Alerts must be sent out to ticket holders and my employees at the rink. Now, get out of here."
He didn't have to tell the guys twice.
Jesse hung back, wanting to thank Coach for not being too mad.
"Carrigan," Coach grunted. "Don't you have a competition to get to?" He didn't even crack a smile.
Jesse met his hard gaze. "Don't you?"
18
Charlotte
Fourth place.
It wasn't an awful position for Charlotte to be in considering her head wasn't in the competition. She hadn't fallen or under-rotated, but she also hadn't put her heart into the program.
And that was only the short. How was she going to get through the long program?
She sat on a bench outside the locker room with her leg bouncing. Ten minutes. She was the third skater in the lineup, early enough in the program that she hoped she'd be able to catch the end of the game afterward on her phone.
She hadn't been able to bring herself to check the score yet. That would have to wait until after she skated.
Her mom handed her a bottle of water as she took a seat beside her.
"Thanks." Charlotte picked at the wrapper.
"Did you do your stretches?"
She nodded.
"Breathing exercises?"
"Yes, Mom."
Her mom chuckled. "I'm sorry, Charlotte. You've been in more competitions than I can remember. Of course, you know what to do."
"I never see you smile at these things." Charlotte looked to her mom. "What has gotten into you?"
"This isn't the only thing you love, is it?"
Charlotte didn't hesitate to shake her head.
"That's the difference between me and you. When I was younger, skating was my everything. Winning was all I had. But it's different for you. I see that now."
"And that makes you smile?" Her mom must have been abducted by aliens.
"No, but it makes me less nervous for you, and that allows me to enjoy it more. The smell of the ice. The crowds. The TV cameras."
"Mom... those TV cameras are just for local channels no one watches." There might be a short clip on the news, and the competition would run on some obscure sports channel that didn't get as many viewers as online streaming did.
"Does it matter?"
Charlotte's lips twitched. It wasn't like her mom to be the one calming her nerves. She usually only made them worse.
As her mom went off on some tangent about her days as a figure skater, Charlotte pulled her phone from the pocket of her zip up sweatshirt. No messages. Not from Hadley or Jesse or her dad.
No "good luck." No "we're rooting for you."
A sigh rattled through her chest as she slid it back into her pocket.
"I'm sorry, honey." Her mom put a hand on her knee and stilled it's shaking. "I know you like this boy."
A boy she'd forbidden her from seeing.
A boy who couldn't break her dad's rule for the team.
No, her parents didn't know how much she liked Jesse. They didn't know how just being around him made her feel normal for the first time in her life, how he thawed the ice she'd always kept frozen around her heart.
He hadn't been wrong before. She had been an ice princess, a robot who never let her feelings show. Other than irritation, of course.
But now... now she didn't know what she was.
The competitor on the ice finished and sat waiting for her score as they cle
ared the ice.
"Time to go, Charlotte." Her mom gripped her hand.
Charlotte squeezed back. "Mom... if I don't place... will you still believe in me?"
A finger pressed under her chin, tilting her face up. "I will never stop believing in you."
Charlotte blinked away her tears. Jesse might be away at his hockey game, forgetting about her completely, her dad might have chosen his team over his daughter again... but at least her mom was there.
"I've never thanked you for everything you’ve done to get me here." It wasn't until that moment as she prepared to skate in the biggest competition of her high school career she realized just how much her mom had given up for her. They didn't always agree on what was best, but that had to count for something.
"And you never have to." Her mom winked—an honest to God wink.
Charlotte laughed. "Seriously, who are you?" She shook her head and stood. Unzipping her sweatshirt, she handed it to her mom, leaving her in a beautiful flowing blue skating dress made of spandex with a silver rhinestone neckline.
She walked forward and put a hand on the half wall, sucking in a breath before stepping out onto the ice. An announcer's voice introduced her to the crowd.
This was it. The competition all the others had led to, the one she'd been training for all year. Every early morning at the rink, every afternoon after school spent running by herself. The diets, the blisters, the lack of any sort of social life.
It all led to now, to this moment.
She reached center ice and tried to tune out the sounds of the crowd. She’s always prided herself on her lack of nerves. Charlotte Morrison was known for performing a clean program every time.
But now?
Now she wanted to throw up.
Releasing a shaky breath, she took up her first position as she had a thousand times before.
Her music started slow and lyrical, allowing the skating to build on itself. The beginning of her routine was simple. She used it to give herself confidence for the more complicated jumps.
Jesse and the Ice Princess (Gulf City High Book 1) Page 13